Work to collect core sample north of Wolcott under way

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EAGLE COUNTY — Starting last week, a crew from the U.S. Geological Survey began rock coring operations on Bureau of Land Management land north of Wolcott. The core is being collected as part of a larger effort to document geologic changes across the state from west to east. Operations in Wolcott are expected to last approximately three weeks.

Crew members will work during daylight hours and all cuttings and water generated from the project will be hauled off site once coring is complete. The operation is intended to acquire a core for further research only; as such, the USGS will not conduct tests on the hole for oil or gas as there is no expected potential there.

A statement from the USGS on the project is as follows:

“The United States Geological Survey has permitted a research core of the Cretaceous Niobrara Formation north of Wolcott, Colorado, near County Road 4. Data collected from the core, HM-1-13, will be used to support the effort by the USGS Energy Resources team to quantify the oil and gas resource potential of the Niobrara Formation as part of the National Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources Project. The USGS research drilling crew will begin operations on Monday, July 8. Operations are estimated to take no longer than 20 days, and the site will be reclaimed immediately upon completion.”

A trailer-mounted rig and other equipment will be visible from County Road 4 during the work. Questions can be directed to the USGS at shawkins@usgs.gov or at schenk@usgs.gov.